Needle cap



INVENTOR,

R. W. OGLE NEEDLE GAP Filed June 29, 1964 /POEFTW OGLE u;D m w 1 h w March 15, 1966 T/G. j

-- Iii. w `,.|..|,.,....4.. w J (4l m P M United States Patent Oiiice 3,240,2@9 Patented Mar. l5, 1966 3,240,269 NEEDLE CAP Robert W. Qgle, Phoenix, Ariz., assigner to Hypodermie Needle Vaive Corporation, a corporation oi Delaware Filed .lune 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,795 4 Claims. (Cl. 12S-21S) This invention relates to a needle cap for the needles of hypoderrnic syringes.

It is a feature of this invention that a syringe of almost any type can be employed, but the needle is closed for storage by a cap which can be unseated from the needle when it is desired to use the syringe and which will float in the liquid contained in the syringe. It thus forms a barrier between the `contents of the barrel and the needle for storage purposes, but is removable for use. There are many injectables which are not compatible with stainless steel over extended periods of time and if a single dose injectable is desired to be stored in disposable syringes some such separation is required. Such separation is effective lby the present invention.

These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the annexed speciication in which:

FIGURE l is a side view of the device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE l with some pressure having been applied to the plunger;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURES l and 2 with negative pressure having been applied on the plunger; and

FiGURE 4 is an enlarged section taken through the needle cap in the upper end of the needle as affixed in the boss formed on the barrel.

Referring now more particularly to the invention, there is illustrated a syringe having a barrel lil, a plunger 11 and a boss I2 in which is cemented by an epoxy resin i3 a needle i4. As shown most effectively in FIGURE 4, the needle 14 has applied at the top end thereof a cap 15 in the form of a balloon 16 having a downwardly extending sleeve I7, which sleeve 17 is placed over the upper end of the needle le. The cap 1S for assembly is soaked or dipped in a silicone solution to render the saine to be rejected by the epoxy resin 13 and to assure that when negative pressure is applied in the barrel It) the sleeve and balloon will ride oit of the upper end of the needle as shown in FIGURE 3. In FIGURE 2 there is shown what happens when proiective pressure is applied, it being noted that balloon lo has collapsed. In FIGURE 3 where negative pressure has been applied the cap is entirely removed from the needle and oats to the top.

While there has been described what is at present con- Sidered a vpreferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and inodications can be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention and it is intended to cover herein all such changes and modications as `come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A hypoderrnic syringe comprising in combination a hollow barrel member provided with a hub, a plunger normally received within said barrel, a hollow needle extending from said hub and having an inner end extending into the interior ot said barrel, a cap comprising a balloon constituting the major portion of a hollow sphere and a tubular sleeve depending from said balloon and tted over the inner end of said needle.

2. The hypodermic syringe of claim I, wherein said sleeve has a silicone lining.

3. A hypodermic syringe comprising in lcombination a hollow barrel provided with a hub, a hollow needle extending frorn the end ot said barrel and having an inner end extending into the interior of said barrel, a cap cornprising a balloon constituting the major portion of a hollow sphere and a tubular sleeve depending from said balloon and being fitted over the inner end of said needle, and a plunger disposed within and retractable with respeet to said barrel to Create a vacuum within the barrel to displace the cap from said needle into said barrel.

4. The hypodermic syringe of claim 3, wherein said sleeve has a silicone lining.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,388 4/1915 Earp-Thornas- 2,573,552 l0/195l Detzel 21S-41 2,798,487 7/1957 Ferguson 12S-218 2,854,003 9/ 1958 Kirsch 21S-43 2,874,863 2/ 1959 Unger et al 21S- 40 d JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOLLOW BARREL MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A HUB, A PLUNGER NORMALLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID BARREL, A HOLLOW NEEDLE EXTENDING FROM SAID HUB AND HAVING AN INNER END EXTENDING INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BARREL, A CAP COMPRISING A BALLOON CONSTITUTING THE MAJOR PORTION OF A HOLLOW SPHERE AND A TUBULAR SLEEVE DEPENDING FROM SAID BALLOON AND FITTED OVER THE INNER END OF SAID NEEDLE. 